Should Public Libraries be "Safe Spaces"?

Abstract

For years, the Foundation for Individuals Rights in Education (FIRE) has kept a database of disinvitation attempts at colleges and universities in the United States. A disinvitation attempt occurs when members of a campus community demand that an invited speaker not be allowed to speak. It also occurs when members prevent a speaker from speaking. Crucially, the database does not include protests against speakers. For example, if students stood outside of their auditorium with an “Erik Prince is a Murderer” sign, they would not be included. If these same students piled chairs onto the stage where Prince was supposed to speak, they would be included. From Prince to Mike Pence and Ben Shapiro, the number of disinvitation attempts has increased in the past few years.